This should cover what you need to use IRC for the toontowncentral IRC channel.

INDEX

The LOGIN

ENTERING THE CHAT ROOM

GETTING YOUR BEARINGS

Nicklist

Chat Window

Command Line

Events

Actions are shown in purple colored text.

PRIVATE CHATS

ETTIQUETTE AND RULES

Patience

Abbreviations

Guidelines and Rules

SECRET STUFF

There are many ways to access IRC but for most TTC people it will be thru the Java chat located at the top left ofVMKForum.com's home page.

Step 1. The LOGIN

Enter a Nick Name - usually a Name that you use for your toon. It can be up to 30 Characters. Letters, numbers, or separators like | ,_underscores_, and even Tildes (~) are acceptable. No spaces allowed.

ex: silly_zanny_boing.

Press ENTER, and a small Java window opens and begins to log into IRC for you. The Java window functions as an IRC client - a bit like a chat window for the various Instant Messenger client users.

Step 2. ENTERING THE CHAT ROOM

This is so easy - the Java client will automatically log into the chat room for Toontown Central members: #vmkforums.
Additionally, you will be connected to #toontowntrivia, and #toontowncentral. The # in front of the name means "Channel", which is a more correct name on IRC for a chat room.

In this channel, people can chat in real time about what they like - usually VMK related subjects and as long as it doesn't contain content designated inappropriate in the #vmkforums channel rules.

You will note that there are three buttons that say #ToonTownTrivia, #vmkforums, and #ToonTownCentral. These are our three official channels and all have the same rules. Click on the name button of the room you wish to chat in at the time. #vmkforums is our main room.

Step 3. GETTING YOUR BEARINGS

The Java window has two main sub-windows.

Nicklist - The one on the right shows the Nicknames (Nicks) of the people in the room - look carefully and you will see yours listed.
The Nicks with an @ next to them are Operators ("Ops" for short) and they are in charge of keeping the channel in order (we're proud of our G Rating!).
As people come and go, the list of Nicks changes accordingly.

Chat Window - The left side sub-window contains the details of what is going on in the channel. When you first start you will see a lot of green and maroon writing created as part of the LOGIN process.

Pay attention to the Topic line. For #toontowncentral this is important as it gives an idea of the status of the game. Usually it says something like:

[VMK u2_b1_5: ONLINE] [VMKForums: www.vmkforums.com ] [Rated: G]

The Topic is also shown at the top of the Java client.

Command Line

The Command Line at the bottom of the window is where you enter whatever you want to say (or do) in the channel.

e.g. To say "Hello" you just type Hello then press Enter on your keyboard.
The word Hello appears in the Chat Window like this:
Hello

As people enter what they want to say you will see the lines of text in the Chat Window, scroll upwards to accommodate the new text. You can use the scroll bar at the side to browse up and find earlier comments.

Events

People entering or leaving the channel, or changing their Nick are shown in green colored text.

Actions are when you type something to indicate you have done something

e.g. To pretend to hit someone with a trout type:

/me slaps Pudgey around with a large trout
It will produce this:
*silly_zanny_boing slaps Pudgey around with a large trout

Step 4. PRIVATE CHATS

See a name on the right you want to speak to privately? Click twice on their Nick in the right-side and a new little window will open up. This is where just you and that person can chat privately. Cool, hey? Click the Close button when you finish.

Step 5. ETTIQUETTE and Simple Rules To Follow

Patience Grasshopper

The channel is usually fairly quiet because people are also doing other things

playing TT or doing other jobs on their computers.

You may not see any chatting straight away, and if you say something it may take a few minutes before someone notices and answers (i.e. finishes their building or whatever). Once you have someone's attention then you should be ok.

Abbreviations rule(rock?) on IRC.

If you have Secret friends in TT you will already have noticed a lot of abbreviations taken from IRC and other chat mediums.

TY = Thank You

BBS = Be Back Soon

NP = No Problem

TTL = Talk to you later

BBL = Be Back Later

AFK = Away From KeyBoard

YW = Your Welcome

LOL = Laugh Out Loud

ROFL = Roll on Floor Laughing (also sometimes ROTFL)

Other abbreviations that can be considered shortened curse phrases are not allowed.

If you don't follow the meaning of the acronyms, then feel free to ask - we all had to learn once ourselves.

IRC is huge and our little channel is a very quiet and friendly corner of IRC.

A smiley is simply a : and a ) put together to make :) which looks like a smiley face (on its side).

In the Java Chat these show as little yellow smiley faces just like on the Toon Town Central website. Just like on the web site, there are special smilies you can make. Here are some "codes" for making them:

:)

:-)

:-D

:d

:o

:-P

:p ;-)

;)

:-(

:(

:-|

:|

Conclusion

Hopefully this has been helpful for you and will make your experience
very enjoyable and fun when chatting with your loveable toon friends on
IRC. We strive to make it a wonderful and safe place for children and
adults.